Predictions in bold MS Kenneth v Park SH - experience counts here Peter v Chen Yu - Peter seemingly back at his normal level Chen Jin v Chen Hong - youth over experience Lee CW v Bao Chunlai - home support gives extra edge WS Zhu Lin v Hwang HY - tough one to call Nedeltcheva v Yao Jie - another tough one Xu Huaiwen v Wong MC - another upset unlikely Hirose v Yippy - 50-50 XD Widianto/Natsir v Laybourn/Juhl - top seeds runaway fav for title Zheng Bo/Gao Ling v Mateusiak/Kostiuczyk - Chinese too strong here Zhang Jun/Zhao TT v Nielsen/Andersen - upset Robertson/Emms v Marissa/Limpele - 50-50
Actually, I am kinda glad I will be at the stadium tomorrow. Lee CW and Wong MC will be there. The ko's (Eriko, Kimiko, Reiko) also there. Hwang Hye Youn and Zhu Lin. Good games all around. Candra/Tony vs home boys. Some new faces I have never seen before like Nielsen, Nedeltcheva, Polish, Kim Min Jung.
MD Tony/Chandra v Tan BS/Ong SH - overpower Jung JS/Lee YD v Blair/Clark - overpower Koo KK/Tan BH v Sakamoto/Ikeda - overpower Kido/Setiawan v Eriksen/Lundgaard - good fight WD Gao/Huang v Du/Zhao - established pair Rani/Endang v Hwang YM/Kim MJ - not so sure, go with seeding, although I think Koreans are not bad Vita/Gresya v Jiang/Li - overpower Kimiko/Reiko v Yang/Zhang - gut feeling
I've always agreed with your predictions in the past, but this time I think I will differ slightly. men singles KJ vs Park SH - the young Korean was very promising a few years ago, and I think his star is on the rise. Same cannot be said for KJ PG vs Chen Yu - PG not recovered yet perhaps? CJ vs CH- For some reasons, everyone always seem to write CH off. He always surprises me. LCW vs BCL - Home advantage a big factor. women singles Zhu Lin vs Hwang Hye Youn - Easy win, I think. This will be her year. Nedetcheva vs Yao Jie - Yao too classy for the ageing Bulgarian. Xu vs WMC - Her time has come! Hirose vs Yippy - Hirose had done nothing last year. Yippy on the other hand had been in a few high profile finals. Men doubles- agreed totally women doubles- Yang/Zhang too good for the Japanese mixed doubles - Agreed except Zhang Jun/Zhao TT to win. I don't think Nova and lilyana will bulldoze through the competition though. Traditionally they always struggle against new Chinese pairs. Don't forget Nathan and Gail as well.
My calls (as always, winners in bold) MS Kenneth v Park SH - Kenneth sees his path clear and is charging Peter v Chen Yu - Peter to take it in a squeaker Chen Jin v Chen Hong - Chen Jin's time may have come Lee CW v Bao Chunlai - Pressure on LCW but also incentive to avenge last defeat to BCL. Plus home crowd WS Zhu Lin v Hwang HY - Zhu has a slight edge Nedeltcheva v Yao Jie - I tell ya, that Petya girl can play Xu Huaiwen v Wong MC - WMC is in the zone. Call for an upset here Hirose v Yippy - Yippy will take it by the slimmest of margins XD Widianto/Natsir v Laybourn/Juhl - Nova & Butet seem to have recaptured their form of old Zheng Bo/Gao Ling v Mateusiak/Kostiuczyk - Logically, the Chinese Zhang Jun/Zhao TT v Nielsen/Andersen - Chinese will roll on Robertson/Emms v Marissa/Limpele - Gritty English pair determined to win MD Tony/Chandra v Tan BS/Ong SH - Need I say more although Tan & Ong should be proud of what they have achieved Jung JS/Lee YD v Blair/Clark - Outcome is obvious Koo KK/Tan BH v Sakamoto/Ikeda - The home boys stroll into the semis Kido/Setiawan v Eriksen/Lundgaard - Old guys finally meet their Waterloo WD Gao/Huang v Du/Zhao - Give it to the veteran pair Rani/Endang v Hwang YM/Kim MJ - I think the Koreans will take this one Vita/Gresya v Jiang/Li - INA pair ona a huge roll Kimiko/Reiko v Yang/Zhang - Chinese pair put any thoughts of an upset away
Since Chen Hong is retiring, maybe Chen Jin will give him a walkover as a going away present Then Bao will beat Lee CW and do the same for Chen Hong. Chen Hong in the Final against Peter Gade......
MEN'S SINGLES Park Sung Hwan vs Kenneth Jonassen -- Park is on a roll, and he could surprise again. Peter Gade vs Chen Yu -- tough to call, but, I will go for the fitter Chinese. Chen Jin vs Chen Hong -- new guard vs old guard. I pick the young one. Bao Chunlai vs Lee Chong Wei (MATCH OF THE ROUND) -- home crowd should tilt the balance in favor of the local player. MEN'S DOUBLES Tan Bin Shen/Ong Soon Hock vs Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya -- the Malaysians were impressive yesterday, but, Tony/Candra should be too consistent for them. Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae vs Anthony Clark/Robert Blair -- the Korean pair should take it. Shuichi Sakamoto/Shintaro Ikeda vs Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong -- no match and the Asian Games champion continues their fine form. Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan vs Jens Eriksen/Martin Lundgaard Hansen (MATCH OF THE ROUND) -- a huge match for Kido/Hendra...and they need to be in their top form to beat the veteran Danes. WOMEN'S SINGLES Hwang Hye Youn vs Zhu Lin -- an interesting match, with the Chinese having the edge. Petya Nedeltcheva vs Yao Jie -- I will go for the lanky Dutch. Wong Mew Choo vs Xu Huaiwan -- the second tough match for the local player...and I have a feeling she might prevail again. Yip Pui Yin vs Eriko Hirose -- "Hak Mui" continues to show good progress, after beating Lu Lan in 3 sets. I start to like her.... WOMEN'S DOUBLES Gao Ling/Huang Sui vs Du Jing/Zhao Tingting -- veteran vs new pair...and veteran prevails. Hwang Yu Mi/Kim Min Jung vs Rani Mundiasti/Endang Nur Sugianti -- a tough match for Rani/Endang and it will be a bonus if they could win. Jiang Yanmei/Li Yujia vs Gresya Polii/Vita Marissa (MATCH OF THE ROUND) -- Gresya/Vita have been impressive so far and Richard Mainaky could keep this partnership for the LT. Another match against fellow Singaporean arch-rival and it should go to 3 sets. I hope Gresya/Vita wins. Kumiko Ogura/Reiko Shiota vs Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen -- such as waste for the other Jap pair yesterday....and today, it's another Jap. But, outcome will be similar. MIXED DOUBLES Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir vs Thomas Laybourn/Kamilla Rytter-Juhl -- a tough match for Nova/Butet...but...they have beaten the Danes in most (if not all) encounters last year. Robert Mateusiak/Nadiezda Kostiuczyk vs Zheng Bo/Gao Ling -- no contest..the Asian Games champion rolls on for another rematch with Nova/Butet. Zhang Jun/Zhao Tingting vs Joachim Fischer-Nielsen/Britta Andersen -- no match for the Chinese. Nathan Robertson/Gail Emms vs Flandy Limpele/Vita Marissa (MATCH OF THE ROUND) -- the third straight tough matches for Flandy/Vita. It will be a bonus if they can win.
Just curious, Badmania, why is YIPPY called "Hak Mui"? The only reason I can think of is her on court attire is all black? If this was the case, would this qualify her to play for New Zealand?
Looking forward to see KKK/TBH played Chandra/Tony. KKK/TBH dominated Asian games, not sure if they are at Chandra/Tony's level yet.
Yes, Tony/Chandra all with way........Disneyland should pay Tony to say "I'm going to Disneyland."......
I agree... A lot of ppl here dun have respect for CH, In my opinion he's definitely the favourite in bottom half, esp. with his current 'nothing to loose' attitute... For a top half I'll go with KJ or PG, so finals will be PG/KJ vs CH P.S: On second thoughts i dun agree with you, CH will win fair & square against CJ/BCL/LCW... Long live CH Long live PG Long live KJ
I just realize I will be in KL tomorrow..yahooo..I can watch live at the stadium..but...32 ringgit to enter...fuh...nevermind laa.. still no schedule for tomorrow..what they normally battle ha...
